Chika Unigwe is a Nigerian-born author and professor known for her powerful storytelling, especially on themes of migration, identity, and resilience. Her works, including On Black Sisters’ Street and The Middle Daughter, explore complex human experiences through African and immigrant perspectives. Unigwe’s writing is inspired by her personal journey from Nigeria to Belgium, where she began her literary career, and by her encounters with influential African writers like Flora Nwapa, Cyprian Ekwensi, and Buchi Emecheta.
In this interview, she shares insights into her writing journey, her thoughts on diverse narratives in African literature, and the significance of resistance as a defining trait of her characters.
- What inspired you to begin writing, and how did your journey as a writer start?
- I have always loved reading, and a natural extension of that passion was that, for as long as I can remember, I have also been writing. My journey began as a young girl, crafting one-paragraph stories and poems in an old journal my parents gave me, and receiving their loving praise for everything I wrote. They later sponsored the publication of a poetry collection I wrote as an undergraduate. However, my entry into traditional publishing truly began after I moved to Belgium. I entered a short story contest for young, unpublished writers, and my story was one of the ten winners. A publisher reached out, asking if I had a novel they could consider, so I wrote one. That novel became the first work of fiction published in the country in Dutch by a (naturalized) Belgian of African origin.
- Which authors or books have most influenced your writing?
- My earliest influences—in the sense that they showed me it was possible to be a writer—were Flora Nwapa, Cyprian Ekwensi, and Buchi Emecheta. Flora Nwapa’s daughter was my classmate in elementary school, and she was the first writer I ever saw in person. Cyprian Ekwensi’s sons were friends with two of my older siblings, and they brought us his books. I first encountered Buchi Emecheta as a child in a documentary about her life. These three writers showed me that writers were flesh-and-blood humans who lived normal lives like my parents. This was important, because growing up middle-class at the time I did, there was a preponderance of books by British and American authors. Enid Blyton was a huge favorite. While I enjoyed The Famous Five, Noddy, and the magical worlds Blyton created, and even mimicked them in my earliest writings, without being in proximity to these Nigerian writers, I might have thought writing was something only people in the West pursued as a career.
- What has been the most rewarding aspect of your writing career so far?
- The most rewarding aspect of my writing career has been hearing from readers who found that a particular book or story resonated with them deeply, offered comfort, or moved them in a meaningful way.
- On Black Sisters’ Street addresses the lives of African sex workers in Europe. What inspired you to write about this topic, and how did you approach the sensitivity of the subject?
- When I moved to Belgium, I was shocked to learn that there were Nigerian sex workers in the country. My curiosity drove me to explore the topic, and the only way I could approach it responsibly was through research. I spoke to women with experiences similar to those of my characters, and I walked the same streets they did. When writing Sisi’s first day on the cobbled streets, I drew from my own sense of vulnerability—even though I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping with anyone, could go home whenever I wanted, and had my husband nearby. Sisi’s vulnerability was my own. Above all, I saw the women I spoke to, like those in my novel, as human beings and fellow women.
- Was there any character you got attached to in writing the novel, and if so who, and why did you feel such for that character?
- When I write, I have to fully inhabit every character, even those I don’t particularly like; otherwise, I couldn’t write them truthfully. Readers can sense when a writer is taking sides because the favoured character either lacks flaws or redeeming qualities. A protagonist who is one-dimensional in either direction isn’t compelling. As writers, we must trust our readers to root for the “right” characters on their own terms.
- Your works often shift between multiple voices, times, and perspectives. What draws you to this narrative structure, and how do you manage the distinctiveness of each voice.
- I love the challenge of creating distinct voices, shifting times, and perspectives within the same narrative. This structure also reflects our world. Narrators who see things differently add layers of complexity and authenticity, allowing readers to draw their own informed conclusions, regardless of what any particular narrator thinks or believes. To keep characters distinct, I use different techniques such as varying tense, speech patterns, and references. For instance, Joyce in On Black Sisters Street is preoccupied with dust, and attentive readers will understand why. In The Middle Daughter, Ugo’s passages are in the present tense, and because she enjoys Afrobeat, there are frequent references to it. Udodi, who serves as a chorus, has a voice that is both wise and contemporary; she uses proverbs, tells the Igbo origin story, and says things like, “a story is like a coconut.” Ephraim, who has an inflated sense of righteousness and insecurity, speaks in a verbose, self-righteous tone that highlights his religiosity. Nani’s language also shifts as she grows and evolves.
- African immigrants stories are central to your work. What do you think is often misunderstood or oversimplified in mainstream depictions of the African diaspora, and how do you challenge these perceptions?
- If by “mainstream” you mean dominant narratives about the African diaspora created by those outside the group, then I would say this: the misconception that we are a monolithic group. I challenge this perception by exploring and portraying the many diverse ways in which we live and experience the world. And my depictions are by no means exhaustive.
- Many of your female protagonists exist in spaces of resistance—against societal norms, gender expectations, or personal trauma. How do you see resistance as a form of identity construction in your characters, and what does it say about their sense of self?
- They exist in those spaces because of the status quo. I am drawn to narratives of people at the margins—both men and women. Raised Catholic and still practicing, I think that influence shapes my literary imagination by making me particularly sensitive to stories of those who exist outside the center, to imbalances of power, and to injustices. As a result, my protagonists often occupy spaces where, to be compelling, they must act against forces of oppression in whatever form those forces take. Resistance defines them; without it, they would lack agency. And what is a protagonist without agency? Like a bicycle without wheels, they might retain the form, but they cannot truly function.
- Do you engage in any activities outside of writing that specifically help to unlock creative blocks or inspire new ideas for your work?
- I am a professor of creative writing
- What advice would you give to young writers, particularly those from Africa, looking to break into the global literary scene?
- Stay true to yourself and write the stories that matter to you. Don’t be swayed by trends or by what you think the “West” wants to read. Be persistent: enter competitions, submit your work to reputable journals both within and beyond the continent, and keep reading widely.
